A few months ago I began feeling a very slight vibration through the floor pan with my left foot. Nobody else can feel it, but I'm very atuned to my vehicles and can tell when something is off, and something is off. After ensuring that it wasn't the tranny or the wheels/tires, I'm pretty sure it's the wheel bearings. At 135k I think this is not uncommon. Correct? So how tricky is repacking the bearings? And are there any good instructions online? I don't want to have to have them replaced down the road because I neglected them now.

Thanks!

 

Repacking the bearings on this car is not practical or in some cases possible. The bearings are either sealed (rear) or pressed into the steering knuckle/axle hub in such a way that it is very time consuming to access them. As such they are typically just replaced if bad.

These bearings typically last a long time!

Have you checked the tires, how about the axle half shaft CV joints.

 

Hey, Joey! Looks like you're the Camry expert extraordinaire!

If I understand you correctly, if they're going bad just have a professional replace them at some point.

How long is a long time? The car is not abused and is garaged most of the time.

The tires were replaced about eight months ago with Michelins. Rotated and balanced two days ago.

the CV joints are not ripped (checked them during the balance/rotation). Is there anything else that I'm missing?

 

Did the new tires make any difference or rotation of the tires?

There have been complaints about bad motor mounts on the V6.

For bearings the manual states to check for backlash on the hub (.0020 max) and deviation on the hub (same).

But bearings typically last a long time and start to make noise. Try moving the steering wheel slightly left and right as you drive at higher speeds to shift the cars weight left and right. A bad wheel bearing may get louder or softer as more weight is applied and released.

I suggest you inspect the front suspension, ball joints, lower control arm bushings, tie rod ends, wheel alignment. Could also be the rear suspension. Check for play in the suspension bushings. You can do all of this except the wheel alignment.

Any vibration when accelerating?

 

The new tires came before the slight vibration that I'm feeling now. The balance and rotation didn't seem to affect it. Although, I just drove it 150 miles and occasionally noticed it more than other times...maybe it isn't perfectly constant.

It's a 4-cylinder. I haven't noticed any vibration when accelerating.

I'll try driving to shift the weight back and for, as suggested, and see if I notice anything there.

I'll also inspect the lower control arm bushings and front and rear suspension for play in the bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends. Am I basically trying to move things around and see if there is any play anywhere (or anything that looks abnormal)?

 

Well, it's definitely getting more pronounced now. Not perfectly constant, but a bit concerning. Maybe I just need to jack it up and see what I can see (on a jack stand, of course).

 

Please be aware this is not an isolated incident. I brought my car in 2010 - 2009 Camry and informed before purchase it was just the wheels and the road and I had to replace the front driver side wheel bearing in April 2011 & I am now having to replace the front passenger side bearing now. I reported it and you can to at (800) 331-4331 #4 I am trying to let as many people know of this issue for this could be dangerous if that tire comes off.